Tokyo Sound

Lightning Library, editorial department, a temporary reception room.

Three cups of hot water were neatly placed on the table, with a faint white vapor rising from them.

The man in the expensive branded windbreaker silently drank a sip of hot water to moisten his throat, and then fired the first shot.

"I've heard about the reputation of Lightning Library in the industry for a long time. Today's visit shows that it is indeed well-deserved. Miss, you are so young and have taken on the important position of editor. You are really talented and beautiful. But in my opinion, you should also pay attention to rest on weekdays. Otherwise, your rare beauty will be damaged. Isn't it a pity in this era?"

Yin Ze tried hard to make a gentle smile. With just this slight facial movement, he activated 30% of the power of the Life Corridor and started the business mode, determined to gain the upper hand in this battle to expand his network.

"Haha, no way, I'm not that pretty. You must be being polite." The editor smiled faintly and was actually indifferent. He just responded politely without even taking his eyes away from the laptop screen. He didn't even say a few words of compliment in return.

Master Yin didn't expect to fail in the first move. He frowned slightly and thought that this person was not simple.

"Sir, you are so young and yet you are here to deal with publishing matters. I wonder what kind of research you are doing? What classics are you studying?" The editor continued typing on the keyboard and asked a templated question.

"Ha, I never do those studies of picking out sentences and quoting classics." Yin Ze said with an air of "no use for knowledge". "That has nothing to do with building a country. The great sages since ancient times may not have studied classics. Little do you know that Yi Yin, the prime minister of Shang Tang, was just a slave who worked on the land. Jiang, who founded Zhou..."

"Okay, okay, got it. Another half-filled bottle of water that's not even a diary." The editor interrupted politely.

"Again?" Shimazaki Nobunaga, dressed in a suit and tie, with a watch, as formal as an insurance salesman for a large company, accurately captured the key words.

"Come to think of it, my friend's book "Demon Senshi" won the second place in the newcomer list of the library, but the book is still a long way from being published and sold. Why is that?"

Yin Ze asked sharply.

"As a small character like me, I don't need to know all the details about the library. But the remarkable result of the second place should have been published last year. Humph, could it be that the editor has given the resources to his own people? I heard that the editor's childhood sweetheart also submitted a manuscript."

"...Can you be more tactful?" Shimazaki Nobunaga said.

"To be precise, it's my childhood sweetheart and current boyfriend," the editor corrected.

"What? Not only do you not prove your innocence, but you are also defaming yourself. What on earth do you want to do?!" Yin Ze was shocked.

"What innocence can be proved by something that is not true?"

The editor said very calmly.

"In terms of ranking, Renta-kun is indeed number one. This is the result given by the review department. I am just an ordinary editor and I don't have the ability to get someone in through the back door. In addition, I think the information you may have received is wrong. The library newcomer award that Shimazaki Nobunaga participated in is, to be precise, just a small essay contest, not an annual election, and the priority is very low. But even so, the top three will have the opportunity to be published, but the review will be very strict."

"Has Master Lun published a book? Then it's my brother's turn too." Yin Ze bowed and unceremoniously peeled the fruit platter on the table.

"We are discussing this very thing today." The editor took another careful look at the handsome man in a windbreaker. "...So who are you? Could it be that the author of the pen name 'Be Yourself in the Flames' is actually a duo?"

"My name is Yin Ze." The handsome man in a windbreaker swallowed a slice of tangerine, straightened his collar, and proudly uttered this name that has gradually become famous in the Tokyo art circle.

In today’s workplace, who doesn’t know the SuperWorker?

"Who? Never heard of it." The editor replied.

"..."Yin Ze.

"Maeda-san, he is the illustrator I hired," Shimazaki Nobunaga explained.

"So he's a light novel author." The editor suddenly realized.

“……”Shimazaki Nobunaga.

"Generally speaking, it is our job to find artists for light novels, but since the teacher is here today, let's just go through the process." Maeda Wanzi is very capable, and she began to ask one by one, "Have you opened an account on soushu555.com?"

"No." Yin Ze shook his head.

“Do you run a personal website?”

"nor."

“Do you have any relevant illustration work experience?”

“I don’t have any experience in illustrating books… when I think about it.”

"Then did you graduate from an art school?" Maeda Wanko asked again.

"It wasn't in the past, and it's not now," Yin Ze said. "I used to study outdoor environmental art, but now I'm a liberal arts student."

"So your current job is painting, right?" Maeda Wanko frowned.

"Not really, I'm an active voice actor." Yin Ze spoke clearly.

"There must be a push number, right?"

"Have."

"Can I take a quick look at it?" Maeda Wanko breathed a sigh of relief.

"Of course." Yin Ze took out his mobile phone, logged into the account and switched to the secondary account to show it to the other party.

The user's profile picture is the default empty one, and the personal homepage is a picture of blue sky and white clouds. It has been created for several years, but so far it has posted less than 50 dynamics, has only 10 active followers, and has only 60 fans. No matter how you look at it, it looks like a robot or a water army account.

"..." The editor took a deep breath. She felt that the discussion was going nowhere. "Sir, are you underestimating the light novel illustrator?"

"No, why do you say that?" Yin Ze was puzzled.

"Light novel illustration work can be said to be a major way for many illustrators to get ahead. Many independent illustrators have gained attention and ushered in a career turnaround because of their work related to light novels. Now there are still many illustrators who regularly post on Twitter that they want to work on light novels and tag them with light novel work, hoping to get an opportunity." Maeda Wanzi said, "Usually, editors will dig for it and look for illustrators with matching styles based on the tone and atmosphere of the work. This step often draws up a list of dozens or even hundreds of people, and finally selects a few to contact."

"They actually use this method of elimination. It's really like the sifting of sand by the waves." Yin Ze sighed, "...It turns out that what Japan lacks the most is painters."

"Light novel illustrations are not just about drawing pictures. It is important to have a solid foundation in character design and personality setting. After all, we need you to be able to draw strong, weak, gentle, strict, tsundere, cute girls with long black hair. If you are just good at secondary creation, no matter how beautiful it is, it won't work."

Said Wanzi Maeda.

"Furthermore, you also need to be able to draw the whole body. If you can only draw faces and busts, you will still be excluded. Expression changes are also important. Some artists can only draw poker faces, which is obviously not acceptable. From a long-term perspective, it is definitely better to have an artist who can draw rich expressions."

"For clothing, you should not only have background knowledge, but also have a good understanding of current fashion trends. If you are designing a fantasy style like Shimazaki Nobunaga, then it is best to read some classic Western fantasy novels to learn about the various elements. If you just look at the references and copy them, the quality will certainly be lower."

Maeda Wanzi continued.

"There are also props. Characters other than cute girls, including monsters, must be drawn. In addition to drawing ability, we also need to pay attention to the artist's update frequency and growth potential. The last point is the character. If the person is the type who likes to talk nonsense and is difficult to get along with, then whether we can work together as a business partner is also something to consider."

"…Are you looking for illustrators?" Yin Ze looked embarrassed. "Aren't you looking for cartoonists?"

"Haha, there is a saying that light novels are 'text comics'." Maeda Wanzi said with a smile, and then concluded seriously, "In short, I rarely hear of good books being buried by bad illustrations, but there are many mediocre books that survive because of illustrations. For example, have you heard of "Infinite Stratos"? "

"It's a famous commercial miracle..." Shimazaki Nobunaga said, "The original work doesn't have much to recommend it from the story content and setting, it's a pure harem work, but its sales are particularly amazing. Not only that, even the adapted animation BD is selling very well."

"Pure harem? When will its animation be released?" Yin Ze was stunned.

"Last year? Or the year before last?" Shimazaki Nobunaga thought for a moment and said.

Damn you Kashiwagi! I haven't heard a single word of news!

The man cautiously opened the corridor of life and noted this in his virtual notebook to be settled later.

"Let me give you another example. Do you know the anime "Hyouka" which was very popular just now?" asked Wanko Maeda.

"Of course I know that." Yin Ze said sincerely, "I even participated in the production."

"The original novel came out quite a long time ago. You can take a look at the first few versions of the character designs, and then compare them with the current character designs made by Kyoto Animation. If you were a reader and you walked into a bookstore and saw these two covers, which one would you buy?" The editor typed on the keyboard, searched for illustrations for the 2001 novel, and turned the laptop over for them to see.

Naive monochrome background.

A boy in a white T-shirt stood on the grass, staring up at the sky. His hair and eyebrows were purple, his hairstyle was between a buzz cut and a dog-bitten bangs, his expression was deep, and his face was straight with a double chin...

"It's a style that's full of vintage feel and a strong Showa vibe. It reminds me of the illustrations in elementary school textbooks. It's a really nostalgic reminder of the times," Yin Ze commented.

Judging from this comparison, the new character design of Director Takemoto can be said to be a great success. Showa Baka has been transformed into a high-quality young idol.

"The animation has boosted sales of the Classic Series. Based on the influence of the series alone, I believe that this positive impact on the original work will continue for many years. This is the expressive power of pictures," said Wanko Maeda.

"That's not right. The original work was well written. In fact, even if the illustrations in the initial version were not beautiful enough, it did not prevent it from coming to the fore." Shimazaki Nobunaga, a reserve light novelist, stood up at this time, with thousands of keyboard players behind him.

"This is the truth."

The editor said quite sincerely.

"In short, novels with illustrations are a tradition with a long history. After all, there is a saying that pictures and texts should be well illustrated. This has been the case in ancient and modern times, both in China and abroad. In the field of light novels, illustrations are even more important, just like the author's name and the illustrator's name are always marked on the cover of each book, which means that if the book is successful, you also have half the meaning and respect. As long as the quality of the text and illustrations is good, it is unlikely to be a scam. Shimazaki Nobunaga's writing skills are still good, and I don't want him to be dragged down."

"Maeda-san..." It was the first time that Shimazaki Nobunaga heard this, and he felt a little touched.

"In short, the stronger the illustrator, the better. Even if he loses his mind one day, at least he can make a collection of paintings and sell them. If the character becomes popular, he can make a lot of money like IS." The editor said firmly.

“……”Shimazaki Nobunaga.

"I see. You mean you're worried that I won't be able to do it." Yin Ze nodded. "In fact, I'm not very good at drawing cute girls. On the contrary, I'm good at drawing monsters like the Minotaur."

"I have already drawn up a list and am preparing to confirm it with Shimazaki Nobunaga today." Maeda Wanko opened a document with many pen names on it. At a rough glance, there were more than 60 names.

"Editor-san is really dedicated to his work, as he has paid attention to collecting so many painters who fit the tone of Shimazaki Nobunaga's works," Yin Ze said.

"Your work is more dark and fantasy, which is somewhat inconsistent with the overall environment. There are relatively few works with superb skills that fit the requirements. I tried my best to find them. The synchronization between the illustration style and the work is also very important. You really gave me a difficult problem." Maeda Wanzi sighed, "And you told me that you hope to create an atmosphere similar to that of Castlevania. It's hard to find."

"The texture of darkness and death? Brother Shimazaki Nobunaga is really ambitious, but I am willing to help. Since the editor and Brother Shimazaki Nobunaga like Ms. Kojima Fumi so much, why not go directly to her?" Yin Ze pondered and said, lowering his head to start flipping through his phone. Brother Yoshimoto and Mr. Amano had pulled him into a group before, and Mr. Kojima was also in it, so he could ask her.

"No need to look for him. He is my most trusted and powerful illustrator. Whether it is a flop or a big hit, my friend and I will share the glory and disgrace." Shimazaki Nobunaga said calmly, "Please just trust me, Maeda-san."

Chapter 99: Double Swords

The hands of the clock turned.

The telephones in the editorial office kept ringing, and even the temporary reception room could hear the lively exchanges. Invisibly, there was also a smell of rice lingering on the tip of my nose.

"Thank you for your hard work. Now that you are here, would you like to try the food in the editorial department?" Maeda Wanko asked, glancing at her watch.

"Is it enough?"

"Is it free?"

The illustrator and the author are in sync and each asks the most important questions.

"It's just a convenience store bento, with at most two spoonfuls of my homemade pickled peppers, but you might not be used to it." Maeda Wanzi made a phone call and asked a colleague to bring three servings of curry chicken meal. "There's coffee at the corner of the corridor, you can help yourself."

"Details determine success or failure. Placing five types of coffee at the corner is a hint from the leadership to work overtime..." Yin Ze sighed like a veteran, "By the way, I'll add three spoons of roasted pepper later, so I can also taste the happiness that Master Lun once had."

"Editing is also a kind of service industry." Maeda Wanzi rubbed her nose to relieve fatigue. "In addition to appeasing difficult authors, we also have to act as a peacemaker between the bosses of various companies."

"I don't consider myself a difficult author and will definitely cause less trouble." Shimazaki Nobunaga said reservedly.

"Your current rank is certainly not 'difficult to deal with', you are 'at the bottom'." Maeda Wanzi said truthfully, "If you dare to delay the manuscript, we dare to give up. But if the mainstay has no inspiration, we can only pray pitifully."

"..."

"There are many small writers like you who are not well-known. The only way to prove yourself is to increase sales. When you sell 500,000 volumes, let alone come to the editorial office in person, there will naturally be a group to discuss how to help you run publicity." Maeda Wanzi took a sip of hot tea and said lightly, "Of course, now, I am the only one willing to spend time on you."

"Very good. I personally think this will be a successful investment." Yin Ze nodded vigorously, helping to support the situation. "My brother is quite talented in writing. He can be called the young version of Dazai Osamu. He will achieve great things in the future. The editor is really insightful."

"As for Mr. Lieyan's talent, he does have some, but what makes me happier is that he is willing to communicate."

Maeda Wanko folded her arms and spoke in a calm tone.

"After years of development, light novels have become highly industrialized. From a certain perspective, the first creator is actually the editor rather than the author. Before publishing, we have already conducted market research and predictions, and the original author of the novel is the executor who puts our plan into reality."

"Is this true?" Yin Ze stroked his chin and frowned. "Then this book about the Demonic War is somewhat inconsistent with the overall environment. Although there are beautiful girls with slim figures, the main theme is the kingly adventure. The possibility of failure will be very high. But the editor still decided to support it?"

"Haha, creative people are basically all weird guys. If you don't let them write down what they want most and resolve their regrets, they will always fight."

Maeda Wanko took out a ladies' cigarette, but didn't rush to light it, and said it as if it was a matter of habit.

"Let them unleash their talents first. When their blood cools down, they will patiently produce 'products'. After being cut off several times and ignored several times, they will make a choice sooner or later. Don't blame me for speaking directly. The industry is like this. It is a dark sea, deep and broad. Under the darkness of thousands or tens of thousands of miles, even the most blazing light will be dim and inconspicuous. Ability has nothing to do with this. Luck is the most important thing. We give advice and do investigations, and we are also trying to bring a little bit of luck."

"I still think talent is more important." Yin Ze shook his head. "A real meteor falling into the sea will only cause a tsunami that shakes the world, not silence."

"That's because you're an artist, not a writer." Maeda Wanzi glanced at Ikemyun. "For specific images, people have an innate aesthetic sense and a basic cognitive ability to judge beauty and ugliness. Red is red, blue is blue. But stories are different. Where is the dividing line between high and low thinking? Where is the line between good and bad ideas?"

"That's true..." Master Yin pondered. Putting aside pure art, in the circle of original artists, the emphasis is on drawing well to get ahead. It has nothing to do with qualifications, it's all about the work. The standard is there, leaving no room for people to lie.

"The industry relies on sales, and those who can make it to the list are not simple. Especially in today's era of rapid information dissemination, an interesting idea and setting must be thought of with great effort. And even if it succeeds once, it does not guarantee success a second time. When starting a new series, it is another time to run away from home and start from scratch." Maeda Wanko said with a deep sigh.

"Miss Editor, you are really mature. Although you are young, you must have seen many failures so far. But from my position, in this creation... no, in this transaction, my words are also important."

Shimazaki Nobunaga said naturally.

"Although what I wrote was not so novel or eye-catching, and although the editor said so many alarmist things, in the end it was still me and my story that determined everything."

"All of Shakespeare's 37 plays were originally adapted from other people's works. Goethe's Faust has also been written by many people. These two great writers injected profound content into the old story, changed the character's personality, and added rich and complex life meanings. The great tragedy King Lear tells the story of three sisters, which can be found in folk tales of any nation. Two sisters are insidious and cruel, and the third little sister is kind and lovely. In Andersen's fairy tale Cinderella, the relationship between the characters is like this, isn't it?"

Shimazaki Nobunaga said slowly.

"Western literature researchers have done a summary and statistics, and believe that stories throughout history are generally similar, and the main plots of various famous works can be summarized into only 36 types, such as revenge, misunderstanding, similar appearance, the prodigal son returning home, brothers recognizing each other, etc. Therefore, if there are similarities, it is purely coincidental. This statement is not a so-called act of evading suspicion, but a sincere statement that it is true."

"But even these 'routines' that many people now think are outdated, many people still can't write them well. This is because they are interfered with by too many factors outside the story."

Don't be seduced by the complex environment and get lost in the maze. If you are only thinking about pursuing novelty and lose the basic logic and structure, you will only go further and further astray.

"I know I don't have any amazing talents, but I will work hard." Shimazaki Nobunaga chuckled, "Editor San Yuemo thinks I have some potential, so he told me so much. But I didn't think so much. In fact, being able to sit here and discuss publishing matters has exceeded my expectations."

——Rentai-kun used to be a person who wrote simple stories. Things like "My Childhood Sweetheart is the Strongest Editorial Who Prompts Me to Write" were written later.

Maeda Wanzi snorted, closed her laptop and stood up.